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I usually add the cranberry with concentrate so there isn't any lowering of the SG. I am having a hard time finding a better cider yeast then Nottingham. I keep doing gallon batches with the same mixture comparing Nottingham to other yeasts and they are never quite as good.

I usually stop the fermentation before it completely finishes (I like it a bit sweeter) but yes, it will ferment it out if you let it. I definitely second using malts in the cider, search graff on the forums for more info on a more beer like cider. I just got done bottling two growlers worth of...

Sounds delectable :)

My natural cider fermented out pretty dry actually. I didn't do a final SG reading but it was pretty similar final sweetness compared to my ale yeast ciders, although I didn't add any sugar like I usually do. I bottled when the airlock wasn't showing much activity (although more then 1/9 min)...

I have never sterilized my sugar. If you are worried about it put just enough water in a pan and get it up to boiling then add the sugar to boil for a bit. If you are using honey to sweeten, many people say it kills the taste to boil it. In that case just add it to some boiled water to get it up...

I have done ciders with a whole lot of head-space with no issue, although I haven't bulk aged it in a secondary with a lot of head-space so I can't comment on that. I would make the airlock fit well and make sure you have the right size for your container. That said I take mine out to take a...

It really depends on how active the fermentation is and how sweet it is when you crash it. I have had it take a week, and I have had it be over carbonated in two days. Get a plastic soda bottle and fill it, feeling how firm it gets. When it feels right, crack one open and check.

No need to boil. It also won't hurt it to not switch it over to secondary (I don't always) and I often add a bit of brown sugar/honey/malt. I really like the combo of the cran/apple in my ciders with a bit of cinnamon.

Its out of stock but looks like it will still let you use the coupon as long as you don't need it right away.

I would be interested as well. I have done one cranberry (very small batch) that turned out wonderfully. Used a mix of apple and cranberry juice with a cinnamon stick. Let it carb up good and it was delectable. Not very tart, but again it was a mix, not pure juice.

Are you talking about campden tablets/kmeta? If so you can add them at the beginning to kill the wild yeast and get a more predictable result, you can add them at the end to help stabalize them for long term storage if you want to age them. Some say there is a taste that it imparts and in the...

I just toss them in, but I am sure a quick boil or vodka soak would be a good better safe then sorry measure

I don't core the apples I juice through a counter top juicer. Don't seem to get any off tastes etc... I wouldn't take the extra time and you will get a decent amount more juice by doing the cores as well.

Have you tried using pectic enzyme? I have also had good luck clearing ciders using honey to back sweeten, don't know why but it seems to come out much clearer. Boiling can also cause the 'haze' to set and make it very hard to clear.

Maybe save that wild yeast you cultivated and see if you can recreate the success by putting some more apple juice on top of it P :)

Just a thought... I have noticed that there is a difference in carbonation between my bottles and I think it might be due to trying to get the last little bit of liquid out of the carboy and sucking up a little bit of the yeast cake on the bottom. Do you think its possible that the exploded...

If you want the same yeast strain from the last batch, use the yeast cake left over from the ferment :)

Not dead set but at this point the SG is were I want it at, don't really want them to ferment out much (any) more. My plan was to get them into bottles to carb them up tonight then bottle pasteurize when they are ready.

I have a plum and strawberry cider, getting close to bottling them and want to give them a noticeable oak flavor. I was planning on bottling them in Grolsch bottles with oak chips that I bought from the brew store. My question is about how many/much I should put in each bottle. Any suggestions?

I have done this and it definitely works, fermentation started back up within a day after getting out of the fridge and having fresh juice on it.